Heterotheca villosa (Pursh) Shinners
golden-aster (hairy false goldenaster)
Asteraceae (Aster family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Bryan Kelly-McArthur     (Photo ID #79362)

Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Heterotheca villosa
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Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from a woody base and a taproot; stems ascending, several, branched, 10-50 cm tall, hairy or glandular, or both.
Leaves:
Basal leaves lacking; lowermost stem leaves soon deciduous, middle and upper stem leaves oblong to spoon-shaped, appressed- or spreading-hairy, sometimes glandular, entire, 1-5 cm long, 0.2-1 cm wide.
Fruits:
Achenes oblong egg-shaped, long soft-hairy; pappus double, the inner of hairlike bristles, the outer of evident scales.
Notes:
Two varieties occur in BC:

1. Leaves and involucres with spreading hairs, sometimes these partly replaced by glands.................. var. hispida (Hook.) Harms

1. Leaves with appressed or nearly appressed hairs, seldom at all glandular; hairs of the involucres appressed to spreading..................... var. villosa

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

USDA Species Characteristics

Flower Colour:
Yellow
Blooming Period:
Mid Summer
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Summer to Fall
Source:  The USDA

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Heterotheca villosa

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
 Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max
Elevation (metres)
 815 225 2470
Slope Gradient (%)
 24 0 140

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

 206 0 360
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric] 		2 0 6
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
 C
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
 302
Modal BEC Zone Class
 IDF

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

 AT(1), BG(56), ESSF(2), ICH(2), IDF(134), IMA(1), MS(2), PP(96), SWB(2)

Habitat and Range

Dry grasslands, shrublands and open forests in the steppe and lower montane zones; common in S BC east of the Coast-Cascade Mountains; E to MB, and S to ND, NE, OK, TX, and CA.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

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